TUCSON, AZ — Two women and a teenager are facing charges after police say they targeted Target stores from the Valley to Tucson, to steal more than $70,000 worth of merchandise.
Tucson Police Department officials say the crime spree began on March 16 in Mesa when the trio entered primarily Target stores and stole high-priced items from the skincare department.
The suspects can be seen in surveillance video placing items in a large plastic storage bin and then concealing it with clothing items.
Video in the player above shows the full surveillance of the alleged crime, provided by Tucson PD
Police say the suspects would then leave the store, load the stolen merchandise into a vehicle and travel to the next location to steal more merchandise.
On March 27, Target contacted Tucson PD to report that three individuals committed multiple thefts across the Phoenix area over two days. Those thefts totaled more than $35,000, according to Mesa PD.
Tucson PD was also notified that the group was most likely traveling from Phoenix to Tucson to commit more thefts.
As this tip was coming in, TPD says the trio had already committed thefts across three Tucson area stores resulting in a loss of more than $18,000.
While heading to the next Target store, located near 22nd Street and Old Spanish Trail in Tucson, police officers set up surveillance at the store.
The suspects were then caught on video carrying out the thefts, totaling more than $6,000 worth of merchandise.
Once the suspects exited the store with the merchandise they were arrested.
Officials say the 12 thefts totaled $74,363 in stolen goods, which were returned to the stores by police.
The three suspects are identified as 27-year-old Dorinta Velcu, 21-year-old Franchesca Traila and a 16-year-old girl.
They were charged with felony theft and organized retail theft.
Police say Velcu and Traila were booked into the Pima County Jail and have since bonded out. The teen was cited and released to a family guardian.
The multi-agency investigation remains ongoing.
